Bengali theatre gets promotional website

Theatre personalities Kheyali Ghosh Dastidar and Chinmoy Ray were present at the launch of the digital promotional platform for Bengali theatre here on Saturday.

An initiative of Golden Signatures, the website 'www.bengalitheatre.com' aims to revitalize theatre and instill its lost glory among the present audiences.

"Though cinema and small screen have made theatres less attractive for the new generation it can be brought back with full vigour through the involvement of the Bengali masses," said Abhishek Home Chowdhury, the promoter of Golden Signature.

Apart from theatre whereabouts, the website will provide information on the history of Bengali theatre, reviews, the star-casts and also a portfolio of all theatre persons (both onstage as well as backstage).

Moreover, online tickets will also be available from the site.

The future agendums of the website include the incorporation of theatre news from the suburbs, towns and the outskirts of the city as well as the interviews of eminent theatre personalities too.

Speaking on the occasion, Kheyali said, "bengalitheatre.com is the right response to our busy and hectic schedule nowadays."

"Popular Bengali dailies are almost out of the reach of theatre makers given their monetary constraints and so this would come as a big relief as far as promotional issues are concerned," she added.

However, commenting on the publicity issue of Bengali theatre, Chinmoy Ray said that according to him mouth publicity is the best publicity.

"In those days (when Ganonattyosangha used to stage plays) New Empire almost went houseful every time. Although apart from a small advertisement in The Statesman there was practically no other medium of promotion, yet people still came to know about theatres," he said speaking of the works of theatre magnets like Utpal Datta, Robi Ghosh and their contemporaries.

"So it is only the onset of the idiot box along with its soaps & serials and reality shows that has stopped people from going outdoors in search of entertainment," he added.

In Ray's opinion, a relatively intellectual audience especially inclusive of youngsters and college goers is what the Bengali theatre needs today.